[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 52 (Friday, March 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15801-15802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office
[www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6321]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[2253-665]
Notice of Inventory Completion: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, Sacramento, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The California Department of Parks and Recreation has completed an
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation
with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a
cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary
objects and present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any Indian tribe
that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and
associated funerary objects may contact the California Department of Parks
and Recreation. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary
objects to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional
claimants come forward.
DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a cultural
affiliation with the human remains and associated funerary objects should
contact the California Department of Parks and Recreation at the address
below by April 16, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Rebecca Carruthers, NAGPRA Coordinator, California Department of
Parks and Recreation, 1416 9th Street, Room 902, Sacramento, CA 95814,
telephone (916) 653-8893.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of
the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary
objects under the control of the California Department of Parks and
Recreation. The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed
from the Morris Mound site (CA-SAC-199) in Sacramento County, CA.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the museum,
institution or Federal agency that has control of the Native American human
remains and associated funerary objects. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Consultation
A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary
objects was made by the California Department of Parks and Recreation
professional staff in consultation with representatives of Buena Vista
Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk
Indians of California; Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California; Jackson
Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California; Shingle Springs Band of Miwok
Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California; Tuolumne Band
of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of California; and the United
Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California (hereafter
referred to as ``The Tribes'').
History and Description of the Remains
In 1950, human remains representing, at minimum, nine individuals were
removed from Morris Mound (site CA-SAC-199) in Sacramento County, CA. James
Sturgeon of Fair Oaks, CA, excavated the site and donated the collection to
the California Department of Parks and Recreation on February 15, 1977. No
known individuals were identified. The 11 associated funerary objects are 1
silicate flake scraper and 10 mammal bones.
The site was occupied during the Late Horizon Period (after A.D. 500).
Archeologists believe that the Penutian-speaking Maidu and Miwok are
descended from what have been identified as the Windmiller people who
occupied the Central Valley of California 3,000 to 4,000 years ago.
Geographic affiliation is consistent with the historically documented use of
the area by the Nisenan (Southern Maidu) and the Plains Miwok. This
collection is affiliated with the historic Nisenan or
[[Page 15802]]
the Northern Sierra Miwok, based on the movement of both groups near the
borders of what is now identified as their historic territories. Therefore,
the professional staff of the California Department of Parks and Recreation
has determined that there is a relationship of shared group identity, which
can be reasonably traced between these Native American human remains and The
Tribes.
Determinations Made by the California Department of Parks and Recreation
Officials of the California Department of Parks and Recreation have
determined that:
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described in this
notice represent the physical remains of nine individuals of Native American
ancestry.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 11 objects described above are
reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual human remains
at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony.
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of shared group
identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native American human
remains and associated funerary objects to The Tribes.
Additional Requestors and Disposition
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally
affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects should
contact Rebecca Carruthers, NAGPRA Coordinator, California Department of
Parks and Recreation, 1416 9th Street, Room 902, telephone (916) 653-8893,
before April 16, 2012. Repatriation of the human remains and associated
funerary objects to The Tribes may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The California Department of Parks and Recreation is responsible for
notifying The Tribes that this notice has been published.
Dated: March 12, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-6321 Filed 3-15-12; 8:45 am]
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